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AN ADDRESS 



TO ALL HOSOKABLY DISCHARGED 




Olllim anil 




IN THE LOYAL STATES, PROM THE 



SOLDI[BS' AND SAILORS' NiTIONIll UNION LEAGUE 



OP WASHIKGTON, D. C. 



To the Monorahly discharyed Soldiers and Sailors of the United States, 
(jreeting : 

We address the honorably discharged soldiers and sailors of the Union 
army and navy of our country upon the importance of organizing leagues 
throughout the States, having for the!ir object the maintenance of their 
rights and best interests, and the fostering of that heroic spirit which led 
them forth to battle in a sacred cause, and the diffusing and practising 
of those great patriotic truths and lessons evolved by the success of their 
efforts. '' 

It is admitted that the rebellion just ended was one of the most gigan- 
tic recorded in the history of the world, its inception and prosecution 
the most wicked and diabolical, and its success would have entailed con- 
sequences the most calamitous to our country. 

The successful overthrow of this monstrous combination of wicked 
men has secured the perpetuity of our republican form of government ; 
established security to our commercial, agricultural, and mechanical 
interests, and blessings to us as a nation not exceeded by those obtained 
for us by our forefathers. 

These great results have been accomplished by the individual and 
combined efforts of the Union soldier and sailor, and it is important that 
every man who has served his country should faithfully keep this fact 
in view. 

It has cost the lives of many of our comrades ; made vacant many a 
chair at the family board ; and widows and orphans are now mourning 
the loss of their protectors, while many who went forth from the family 
circle in all the strength and pride of manhood have returned broken in 
health, their manly forms crippled and maimed ; and all have endured 
hardships and dangers unparalleled in history. 

It behooves us to use our influence to se« that the crime which has 
inflicted so much misery and woe uj^on the cc ntry shall not be lost sight 



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of, and the sacrifices of her defenders be held in light esteem ; aud it re- 
mains for lis to prevent the charge that "republics are ungrateful'' from 
becoming verified in fact. 

We must stand by each other now, as we did upon many a battle-field, 
that no enemy to our interests shall overwhelm us. 

We must not prostitute our honor by begging recog^ilion as the 
saviors of the country, but we must persistently ancl respectfully demand 
this. ' " . ' ■ " 

It is our birthright, which we hold of highest value, and to be yielded 
for no consideration. There are reasons why we should organize to 
maintain our rights, and observe the utmost vigilance. There are thou- 
sands in every State who did not go in defence of their country from 
unmanly motives. They are wanting in patriotism and courage. To 
those it will be an object to dim the glory of the achievements of the 
soldier, that their recreancy to their duty may not be so conspicuous. 
Others, whose sympathies were with the traitors and their cause, will 
make it an object to have little credit attached to the service of the soldier 
or sailor, that the heinousness of their treason may not be so apparent. Nor 
can we overlook the professional politicians who found it to their interests 
to advocate our cause and bespatter us with praise Avliile their ends were 
subserved, but who in their schemes ofself-aggrandizement will endeavor 
to make a soldier's serviceofsecondarv importance, fearful lest his claims 
upon a grateful country may overshadow theirs. 

Every rebel soldier, and particularly those who have been the very 
front and offending of this war, have an interest against thotie who fought 
for the Union. As our cause and services increase in the estimation of 
the public, that of the rebels become more dishonorable. If they in- 
crease in favor and can make it appear that it is not so bad after all to 
have been a participant in this unholy rebellion, then it will appear less 
commendable to have fought for the maintenance of the Union. These 
are some of the influences that it will require all the combined efforts 
we can command to counteract. We would not disguise the fact that 
they are formidable, but we have had formidable combinations to con- 
tend against before, with what result let Yicksburg, Gettysburg, and 
Eichmond tell. The same principles are involved. We claim our 
position as a right due us ; those Ave have to contend against are the 
enemies of our country and of her defenders, and it will require the 
same devotedness to our interests, the same degree of self-denial and de- 
termination not to be discouraged by seeming delay in the accomplish- 
ment of our purpose, nor to be disheartened by occasional reverses, that 
\^ e evinced in overthrowing the enemies of our Government. 

We must not be turned aside by questions of creed or party. These 
were represented^in the Union army, and did not affect its unity of action 
or purpose. If our success has accrued to the present benefit of the Re- 
pi; )lican party, as a party, we could not have done our duty less faith- 
ful iy if the Democratic party, as a party, had received the advantage. 
We must fight to keep before the people "that treason is a crime;'' that 
all men engaged in the rebel cause were traitors to their country, and 
forfeited their rights and privileges as citizens : that what they did in 



its .su})port was damnable, diabolical wickedness, and sliould find no 
apologist; and that, while we grant them the boon of life, they shall 
not be restored to positions of honor and trust. by any influence which we 
possess, and this shall apply to all aiders and abettors of treason wliere- 
ever they exist as ulcers upon the body politic. We must keep before 
the people, not boastfully nor arrogantly, but with dignified persistence, 
that we are the people that saved this country, and but for whom tliLs 
fair fabric would have been crushed, and anarchy reigned supreme. 

But for us, all the institutions of learning, every enterprise tending to 
ameliorate the condition of our people, and advance the great interests 
of our country, would have been swept away. We need but remain 
faithful to each other and combat the classes before enumerated. There 
are thousands of patriotic citizens in every county of the States of our 
Union who have always appreciated our services, and given us the meed 
of praise due us, and who stood by us and our families while we were 
doing battle for our homes and firesides. If we remain true and faith- 
ful as citizens, as we have been to our country as soldiers, we can always 
calculate upon their co-operation. The earnest and laborious attention 
of Soldiers' and Sailors' Leagues, wherever established, should be given 
to gathering the names and facts of every man's military history, of that 
particular locality, who has faithfully served in this war, and sacredly 
preserve the record. The families of those who have died, or have been 
killed, should receive the especial and fostering attention of the surviv- 
ing men of the army and navy. If this is not done as a sacred duty by 
such organization of soldiers and sailors, many a brave man's wife and 
children will suffer. We owe it our fallen oomrades to attend to this 
matter. 

The patriotic people of the loyal States, men and women, did their 
part nobly during the war, and merit the lasting gratitude of every 
soldier, and their continued co-operation can confidently be expected in 
the future ; but it becomes our special duty to look to the welfare of those 
of our own household of braves, and add all in our power to their com- 
fort. The war has demonstrated that the support of most value to the 
soldier and sailor, while battling for his country, did not come from 
those who were actuated by political motives or self-advancement, but 
from the patriotic citizens of our country, who always came up in the 
hour of our nation's trials. Let us prove ourselves worthy of the con- 
tinued confidence and esteem of these citizens, and by a calm, dignified 
and combined demand for the hire of which the laborer is worthy, await 
its paym.ent, ever keeping in our hearts the motto, '' Our country, now 
and forever, one and inseparable." 

The discharged soldiers and sailors, temporary residents of Washing- 
ton, D. C, representing nearly every state in the Union, have already 
formed themselves into a league, and are actively at work to promote 
the soldiers' and sailors' interests. AYe respectfully urge and invite our 
comrades in every section of the country to form themselves into similar 
leagues and eft'ect a speedy organization, Vvith a view to the calling of a 
national convention of soldiers and sailors at an early day, who shall 
determine the character, aims and object of this league, mould andestab- 



]lsh its form of government, and give it an influence and importance 
that will forever establisli it upon a firm foundation. 

We respectfully solicit a full, free and candid interchange of views 
with every soldier and sailor of our country, and to this end we invite 
correspondence from every one upon every subject that can be of inter- 
est to the soldier and the sailor and that would be proper subject for the 
attention of a national Convention, We trust every soldier and sailor 
will give us his vicAvs upon any subject he thinks will be of advantage 
in accomplishing the objects we have in view. We ask this in order 
that we, being located at the seat of the General Government, may 
become acquainted with the views and demands of our comrades, and 
thus be able the more intelligently to labor for their interests. We will 
cheerfully send our constitution to all Leagues in process of organiza- 
tion upon application by letter. All communications will be addressed 
to William Stringer, Esq,, Corresponding Secretary Soldiers' and Sailors' 
National Union League, Washington, D. C. 

Comrades, we commend this Avork to you. It is for you to say 
whether we shall be felt as a power in the land. Individual effort is 
useless, but a well-established combination, representing nearly one 
million treemen who bared their bosoms to the fire of the enemy, and 
risked their lives that the nation mi,s:ht live, will be entitled to consid- 
eration, and wield an influence that will be a sure guarantee that our- 
rights will be respected, and our demands receive attention. Let us 
strive to elevate the cause in which we have been engaged, and thus 
elevate still higher the cbaracter of the Union soldier and sailor, so that 
it may be handed down to our children and posterity, side by side with 
the Eevolutionary hero, as the synonymn of all that is just, brave, hon- 
orable and patriotic. To this end, we invite your hearty co-operatio-n 
and commend to your attention the views set forth in this address, and 
trust the day may not be far distant when we shall see the aims and 
objects thus set forth practically carried out. 

L. Edwix Dudley, 
W. L. Baer, 
H. C. Grossman, 
C. H. Mapison, 
William A Short, 
William SiBiNGEEi 
James Cross, 

Washington, Sept. 22, 1865. Commlitr>- ,,n Address. 



If favorable to the sentiments of the above address, please 
publish it in your paper. 



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